Electric sign.



G. T. KELLY.

ELECTRIC SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 30,1908. 1,090,989. Patented Mar. 24, 1914,

m o m z 0 00 0 r G G0 O .Q m w 0 0 0000000 B M 0 H H 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0000000 0000000 QQQQQQQ QQQW 0 0 00 0 00000 0 0000000 M3 0 0 0 0 0 0000000 0 0 0 w A0 00 w000000 9 0 Q 0 0 0 0 00 2 0 0 000 0 00 000 0 w 0 0000000 0 v 0 000 Q Q Q 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 00 0 0 0 0 0 =0 @000000 0000000 0 0 0 O0 0 G T. KELLY.

ELECTRIC SIGN,

APPLIGATION FILED JULY so, 1909 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Mar. 24, 1914.

GEORGE T. KELLY, CHICAGO, ILLINCIS.

ELECTRIC SIGN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedMar. 24, 1914.

Application-filed July 30. 1308. Serial No. 446,194.

To all whom it may cancer-n.

Be it known that I, GEORGE T. KELLY, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Chicage, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Electric Sign, of which the follow in is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide I an electric sign of simple, durable and inexpensive construction, in which the letters of the advertisement are formed by incandescent lamps and which are so arranged that the individual letters at one side of the si will each be illuminated first, then the other.

letters in succession will be illuminated until the entire sign is illuminated, after which the current is automatically cut off from all of the letters for a short period of time.

A further object is to provide a device of this kind in which the same mechanism may be used in connection with signs containing different numbers of letters, the change of the mechanism necessary to accomplish this purpose being quickly and easily accomplished.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangementand combination of the various parts of the device whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully setforth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in 1 which Figure 1 shows a top or plan view of a vehicle provided with my improved illuminated signs. Fig. 2 shows a side elevation of same. Fig. 3 shows awvertical sectional view through one of the signs, illustrating the contact devices for establishing and break ing the electric circuit. Fig. 4 illustrates diagrammatically the arrangement of the electrical parts of my invention. Fig. 5 shows a detail perspective view of apart of the chain containing the electric contact plates. Fig. 6 shows an enlarged detail sectional view on line w.'n of Fig. 3 illustrating the means for shutting off the entire current during part of the movement of the chains, and Fig. 7 shows an enlarged detail view illustrating the stationary contactoints for establishin a current through the incandescent lamps of each letter of the sign with one of the contact devices carried by the chain in engagement therewith.

Referring to the ,accompanyin drawings, I have used the reference numera 10 to indiwheels 11.

; cate a vehicle frame mounted on supporting a Carried by the "frame is a motor 12 which may be an internal combustion engine or other suitable motive power. Mounted upon the 'vehicle frame a dynamo 13 connected with the motor 12 by the belt 14 and pulleys 15 and 16. A lever 17 is pro vided for shifting the belt 14; from the pulley 15 of the dynamo to an idler 18 for thereby quickly and easily controlling the movement of the dynamo. On each side of the vehicle frame. I have erected a sign, each sign comprising a frame 19 having eic tended through its central portion a shaft 20.; This shaft 20 is connected by gearing devices 21 with the motor 12 as clearly shown in Fig. 1. At the forward end of the frame 19 is a second shaft 22 provided with a sprocket wheel 23, which sprocket wheel is driven by means of a sprocket wheel 24 on the shaft 20 and a sprocket chain passed around said sprocket wheels. Connected with this chain 25 at suitable intervals'are the laterally extended arms 26, and secured on each arm is a spring contact plate 27 having yielding divergent arms. These arms 26 and their contact platesmay extend from one or both sides of the chainlinks as exigencies require, both forms being illustrated in Fig. 5. Certain other links of the chain 25 are provided with lugs '28 for purposes hereinafter made clear.

Fixed instationary positions on both the outer and inner sides of the frame 19, Ihave' arranged a number of -on,tact plates 29. These plates are arranged in pairs,one above the other and. are so positioned that as the chain 25 passes between them, the contact plates 27 thereof will engage both of the contact plates29. The set of plates 29 on the front of the signwill be engaged by the contact plates 27 on one side of the chain, while the corresponding set of plates 29 on the rear of the frame 19 will be engaged by the contact plates 27 on the other side of the chain. I provide one pair of contact plates 29 for.

.each letter on the uppcrrow of the illuminated sign, and a second pair of contact plates 29 for each letter on the lower row. In addition to the devices-before described, I provide'a stationary contact plate 30 above the lower portion of the chain 25 and a hinged conta plate 31. below the lower por-. tion of said chain. This hinged contact plate 31 is yieldingly held by a spring 32 at its forward limit of movement slightly spaced apart from the plate 30,

Fixed to the frame 19 adjacent to one end of the plate 31 is an electric contact pin 33, so positioned that'the plate 31 will be in contact with it when in its elevated position and will be moved out of contact with it when in its lowered position. The lugs 28 on the chain are so arranged that when the chain is passing through between the plates 30 and 31, said lugs will hold the position where it will not which said lamps are arranged to form. The

other end of the wire 35 is connected to a return wire 37 which leads to'the dynamo The circuit breaking device comprising the plates 30 and 31 is connected to the service wire '34, hence, whenever said plate 31 is lowered all of the current will becut oil and when it is elevated all of the lamps will be illuminated on those letters in which the contact plates 29 are electrically connected with each other by means of the contact plates 27.

In practical use and assuming that the first pair of contact plates 29 to the right are electrically connected with the incandescent lamps that form the first letters to chain 25 continues to move,

the left of the advertising sign, then when the first pair of contact plates 27 engage the contact plates 29, the first letters to the left of the'sign will be illuminated. As the each pair of letters to the right of those first illuminated will in turn be illuminated. In the event thatthere are more letters in one line than in the other, then a link is placed in the chain containing only one of the contact plates 27, as shownin Fig. 5. I provide on the chain 25, enough of the contact plates 27 to keep the first letters to the left illuminated until such time as all of the other letters have been illuminated, hence, for a short time all of the letters in the sign will be illuminated. I arrange the contact plates 30 and 31 so that a short time after all of the letters in the sign have been illuminated, on'eof the lugs thereon will engage the plate 31 and force it downwardly and therey shut oil. the current. This will continue as long as any of the lugs 28 are in position between the plates 30 and 31.

One of the important advantages in connection with theuse of my invention is that the chain 25 maybe made with detachable links and a number of links having two pairs of contact plates 27 may be provided,

a number of links having one pair of contact plates 27 may also be provided and a number of links having lugs 28 may be provided. With this arrangement it is obvious that signs may be made containing any desired number of letters and then links may be used in the chain for the purpose of successively illuminating said letters in the manner before described, so that the only change to the electrical apparatus necessary in adapting the device for signs having different numbers of letters is the placing of proper links in proper positions upon'the chain. All of the other parts may be permanently connected and need notbe changed.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a frame, a number of sets of incandescent electric lamps on the frame, a source of electrical supply and a return circuit, a pair of stationary contact plates for each set of lamps, one of said plates being electrically connected with the source of supply, and the other being connected through said lamps to the return circuit, an endless chain, means for advancing said chain between said pairs of stationary contact plates, and a number of pairsof contact lates carried by the chain and designe when passing between the pairs of stationary contact plates, to electrically connect the stationary contact plates and thus establish a circuit between them.

2".In a device of the class described, the combination of a frame, a'number ofsets of incandescent electric lamps on the frame, a source of electrical supply and. a return circuit, a pair of stationary contact plates for each set of lamps, one of said plates being electrically connected with the source of supply, and "the other being I connected through said lamps to the return circuit, an endless chain, means for advancing said chain between said pairs of stationary contact plates, and a number of pairs of contact plates carried by the chain and designed, when passing between the pairs of stationary contact plates, to electrically connect the stationary contact plates and thus establish a circuit between them, said contact plates on the chain being detachable.

'3. In a device of the class described, the combinationof a frame, a number of sets of incandescent electric lamps on the frame, a source of electrical supply and a return circuit, -a pair of stationary contact plates for each set of lamps, one of said plates be ing electrically connected with the source of supply. and the other being connected through said lamps to the return circuit, an endl ss chain, means for advancing said chain b tween said pairs of stationary conthe stationary contact plates andithus est'ablish a circuit between them, and means actuated by the chain for interrupting the circuit from thesource of electrical supply. 4. In a device of the class described, the

0 combination of a frame, a number of sets of'incandescent electric lamps on'the frame, a source of electrical supply "and a return circuit, a pair of stationary contact plates for each set of lamps, one of said plates being electrically connected with the source of supply, and the other being connected through said lamps to the return circuit, an endless chain, means for advancing said chain between said pairs of stationary con- -tact plates, and a number of pairs-of contact plates carried by the, chain and designed, when passing between the pairs of stationary contact plates, to electrically connect the stationary contact plates and thus establish a circuit between them, and means actuated by the chain for interrupting the circuit from the source of electrical supply, said means comprising a stationary plate I above the chain, a hinged plate below it, the

latter plate being connected to form a terminal of the circuit, a pin in position to be engaged by said plate when the'latter is elevated said pin being connected to form the other terminal of the circuit and a lug carried by said chain and designed to engage the hinged plate and force it out of contact With the pin, for the purposes stated.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a frame, a number of sets of 40 incandescent electric lamps on the frame, a source of electrical supply and a return c1r-' cuit, a pair of stationary contact plates for each set of lamps, one of said plates being electrically connected with the source of supply, and the other being connected through said lamps to the open circuit, an endless chain, 'means for advancing said chain between said pairs of stationary contact plates, and a number of pairs of con:

tact plates carried by the chain and designed, when passing between the pairs of stationary contact plates, to electrically connect the stationary contact plates and thus establish'a circuitbetween them, and'means 56 actuated by the chain for interrupting the circuit from thesouroe of electrical supply, said means comprising a stationary plate above the chain, a hinged platebelow it, the latter plate being connected to form a ter- 60 minal of the circuit, a pin in position to be engaged by said platewhen the latter is elevated, said pin being connected to form the other terminal of the circuit, and a lug carried by said chain and designed to en- 6 gage the hinged plate and force it out of plates of'each pair of contact, plates with one of the series of incandescent lamps, a number of spring contact plates carried by the chain and designed to engage with the stationary contact plates at one side thereof, a number of similar contact plates carried by the chain and arranged to engage with the contact plates at the other side thereof, and means actuated by the chain forautomatically interupting the electric circuit.

7. In a device of the class described, the, combination of a frame, an endless chain arranged to travel longitudinally of the frame, a seriesof pairs of stationary contact plates supported by said frame on each side of said chain, a series of incandescent electric lamps for each pair of contact plates, means for electrically connecting one of the plates of each pair of contact plates with one of the series vof incandescent lamps, a-number of spring contactplates carried by the chain and designed to engage with. the stationary contact Plates at one side thereof, a number of similar contact plates carried by the chain and arranged toengage withthe contact plates at the other-side thereof, and means actuated by thechain for automatically interrupting theelectric circuit, said means comprising a hinged plate adjacent to the chain and connectedt-o form axterminal of the circuit,.a spring for yieldingly holding said plate toward the chain, a lug carried by the chain forforcing'the hinged plate away from the chain, astationary contact point connected to form the other terminal of the circuit and designed to be'engaged by said hinge'd plate when the latter is in position adjacent to the chain and to be dis connected therewith whenthe'hinged plate is moved away from the chain. I

8. In a device of the class described, a frame, a number of sets of electric lamps on the frame, a source of electrical supply, a pair of stationary contact' plates for each set 0f lamps, the said plates being inthe circuit between the lamps and the source'of supply, an endless chain, means for advancing said chain between said pairs'of contacts, a plurality of pairs of contacts carried by certain links of the chain, and single pairs of contacts carried by other links of thefchain, all ofthe contacts being designed, when passing between pairs of the contact plates, to electrically connect the same.

"9. In a device of the class frame, a number ofsets of electric lamps on the frame, a source of electrical supply, a pairof stationary contact plates for each set of lamps, the said plates being in the circuit between the lam s andthe source of supply, an endless chain, means for advancing said chain between the pairs of stationary contact plates, the links, of the chain being capable of disconnection, a plurality of pairs of contacts carried by certain of the described, a links, and'single pairs of contacts carried I by other links of the chain, all of the contacts being designed, when passing between pairs of the contact plates, connect the same. 7

Des Moines, Iowa, July 16, 1908.

GEORGE T. KELLY. Witnesses: I i

MARY E. KELLY, E. CARROLL KELLY.

to electrically 1 

